Chaos's Reign
by Ariiantha
Summary: - SYOT CLOSED - After failing to create a spectacular Twentieth Hunger Games, Head Gamemaker Xavier Burns is determined to make the Twenty-first Hunger Games go down in history. To accomplish that, it only means more pain for the tributes. Welcome to the Twenty-first Annual Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor!
1. Elements

**Author's Note: **Hey there! Before I start the actual fanfic, I just wanted to say that this story is an SYOT. The form to submit a tribute can be found on my profile and the form must be PMed to me. I will not consider any forms posted in the reviews.

* * *

**Elements**

* * *

_Fire wants to burn...  
__Water wants to flow...  
__Air wants to rise...  
__Earth wants to bind...  
__Chaos wants to devour...  
__The tributes want to live..._

_~ Adapted from Cassandra Clare, The Iron Trial_

* * *

**\- Head Gamemaker Xavier Burns -  
\- August 17, 20 ADD -**

* * *

President Ariana Snow was not known for giving second chances, much less third chances.

I knew how badly I had failed for the Twentieth Games just last month. The snowy arena my fellow Gamemakers and I had designed had been beautiful, but too many tributes had died from the bitter cold. The Games had been over within ten days, when the girl from District Seven beheaded the boy from District Two, who had been weakened from th cold. I had been surprised when President Snow had forgiven my foolishness, excusing it as a lack of experience, and allowed me to try again. Usually, this lack of experience would cause Head Gamemakers their lives.

This would be the last chance, I knew. President Snow would not grant me any more mercy. I had to succeed.

As I unrolled the diagram of the arena that we Gamemakers had pored over for hours, I heard President Snow inhale sharply as she took in the painstaking details and neatly-written notes. Silently, she ran a hand over the smooth parchment, her hawk-like eyes scanning the map.

Finally, she looked up at me, her intense stare burning into me. I wondered if she had decided it was time for me to die and I couldn't help but flinch away from her accusing gaze.

Then, she smiled, though her smile held no joy. It was cruel, evil almost. It was a smile that scared me. I couldn't help but smile back, but my smile felt painful... forced.

"I knew I made the right decision when I chose you as Head Gamemaker, Xavier, and again when I chose to forgive you. If you can make this plan work, the Twenty-first Annual Hunger Games will be more exciting than any of its predecessors. Construction of the arena must commence immediately." she announced, dismissing me with a flick of her hand.

I dipped my head to her respectfully, rising to my feet and rolling the map back up, before heading for the door. Just as I set my hand on the doorknob, I heard President Snow speak again.

"Oh, Xavier?"

I gulped, turning back to look at her. The hard stare she gave me was enough to send shivers down my spine. "Yes, President?"

"Don't fail me. I never give third chances."

* * *

**\- Felicia Crow, Lead Gamemaker in the Muttation Department -  
\- January 8, 21 ADD -**

* * *

As I typed commands into my computer, I heard footsteps slow and pause behind me. A soft, masculine voice interrupted my thoughts. "Felicia, this is not acceptable. Double your efforts. These Games must be the best yet."

I looked up from the shark mutt I was designing. Head Gamemaker Xavier stood behind me, his eyes coldly staring at the mutt. "I'm sorry, Xavier, the-" I began.

He interrupted me. I couldn't remember when he had ever interrupted any of us Gamemakers before, especially when we had been explaining our ideas to him. "Felicia, time is running out. We failed last year. We cannot fail again. Do you want to die? I don't want to die, Felicia."

I replied with silence.

Xavier turned away, his eyes staring at the map of the arena that had been posted on the wall of the Gamemakers' meeting room. When he spoke again, he was not looking at me. I could tell that he was not just speaking to me. He was also speaking to himself.

"Felicia, we need to make the Twenty-First Annual Hunger Games a Games that will go down in history. Make that mutt better."

Then, he left, his boots clattering on the ground as he walked away briskly. Shakily, I turned back to the shark mutt, erasing the saved file and starting over.

With Xavier this serious about every detail, the Twenty-First Annual Hunger Games could not possibly fail. Just as he said, these Games would go down in history.


	2. Waiting, Watching

**Waiting, Watching**

* * *

_It's a strange thing,  
But when you are dreading something,  
And would give anything to slow down time,  
__It has a disobliging habit of speeding up._

_~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_

* * *

**\- Belladonna "Bella" Crew, Victor of the Second Annual Hunger Games, District One Mentor -  
\- January 19, 21 ADD -**

* * *

The Games wouldn't be starting for a while, but the decision-making process for District One's volunteers had already begun. As this year's mentors, Drake and I had already begun looking for the best trainees and that was exactly what we were doing at District One's training center. As we watched, one of the female trainees hissed, kicking out at the boy who she was sparring with and then giving him a hard punch on the nose to follow up. Blood sprayed from the boy's face as he fell backward, his head hitting the padded floor of the sparring area.

Drake looked at me. "That one's a fighter. She reminds me of you." he murmured. I didn't take my eyes off of the scene as the girl smirked, ignoring the blood around her.

"I suppose." I finally mumbled as the boy shakily rose to his feet. He would most likely suffer through another beating at home. These days, in District One, failures only meant more beatings. This was not what I had had in mind when I had suggested a training program.

I still remember my Games. I had allied myself with the girl from Two, Rhea. She had told me about the training program in Two. I'd suggested the same thing to our mayor once I had gotten home, so each child would be able to protect him or herself in the Games. That hadn't exactly worked out.

Staring at the boy with the bloody nose, I suddenly felt dizzy.

* * *

**\- Ebony Nevitts, Victor of the First Annual Hunger Games, District Two Mentor -  
\- January 29, 21 ADD -**

* * *

My sister wasn't like me. She was a true Career. Ivory had been a volunteer, while I had been reaped. To be honest, I couldn't see why anyone would ever volunteer for something as gruesome and bloody as the Hunger Games, though maybe that was just my opinion.

That's why I had forbidden my now nineteen-year-old daughter, Alex, from ever volunteering. Her mother and I had agreed on that. When she began doing too well at the training center, I pulled her out, refusing to let her ever become a tribute in the Games. My sister was one of those who ran the training center and she could never understand why I had pulled Alex out.

I never did expect Ivory to understand.

After her victory, Ivory grew obsessed with the Games. Unlike me, she never settled down or found a family. On the other hand, my sole motivation in the Games was my girlfriend at the time, Serena, and how I had never gotten a chance to give her the diamond engagement ring I had purchased. As soon as I had gotten out of the arena, I had gone home and proposed to her. We found out on our wedding day that she was pregnant.

The Games did things to Ivory, the things that they were meant to do. They turned her into someone who was obsessed with the Games. They had hurt her so that she was someone completely unlike the girl she had been before she went into the arena.

I was determined not to let anyone else be hurt like Ivory again.

* * *

**\- Buzz Revel, Victor of the Sixteenth Annual Hunger Games, District Three Mentor -  
\- February 8, 21 ADD -**

* * *

The Games had ruined me and everyone knew it. Before the Games, everyone knew me as a lively and sweet boy. After the Games, I had barely spoken a word. At first, my friends came to visit almost daily. My family would help me through the nightmares. Before long, none of my friends were coming anymore. Then, my parents stopped coming every time I woke up screaming.

My sister, Apoline, always came, though. She was always trying to get me to get up and actually do something. She never realized how different I was now. She was reaped last year. I tried to save her, I really did. I guess I'm just cursed.

My parents blamed me, of course. Apoline was always their favorite. They moved out of the house in Victor's Village. I didn't mind. It meant more peace and quiet for me and my tinkering.

I've thought about ending it all quite a few times. I could do it quickly, painlessly. Last year at the Capitol, Alexander Sabine from District Five told me that a victor he had mentored, Nadia Vern, had committed suicide.

I know why I've never done it, though. Without me, the tributes from Three really do stand no chance against the Careers and the other tributes. I'm the only advantage they have, though I must say, I'm not much.

* * *

**\- Coral Brooke, Victor of the Ninth Annual Hunger Games, District Four Mentor -  
\- February 18, 21 ADD -**

* * *

Mags stood beside me, watching the tributes as they trained. She was silent as she stared at them, though that fact didn't worry me. Ever since she had gotten out of the arena, she had always been silent.

Her Games had been tough. I remembered that Mags had been the number-one trainee her year at the District Four training center. She had been the one chosen to volunteer and, even though she had been reaped, nobody had dared to volunteer, fearing the wrath of the training center officials. Yet, she had almost died in the arena. She had almost died five or six times.

When she came out, she hadn't wanted to be a Career anymore or a trainer or anyone who had to do with the Games and the kids. I never did understand her motives, but as a good mentor should, I respected her choices.

In truth, after Mags, none of the trainees looked like they stood a chance in the arena anymore. I turned around to tell her this, but she wasn't standing beside me anymore. Instead, she was crouched by one of the younger trainees, a twelve-year-old, who had just been defeated in a sparring match. The girl's face was covered in blood, which Mags was gently wiping away with a cloth.

Staring at her, I realized exactly why Mags didn't want to be a part of the whole Career business anymore.

* * *

**\- Alexander Sabine, Victor of the Eighth Annual Hunger Games, District Five Mentor -  
\- February 28, 21 ADD -**

* * *

_Rest in Peace,  
__Nadia Vern,  
__Mentor and Friend_

I can't lie. Nadia's death broke me.

She was the only one in District Five who understood me. Whenever I, or she, for that matter, had another one of those dreadful nightmares, I went to her and we would just talk about the arena and the Games and everything that was bugging us. Every year, we mentored the District Five tributes together and every year, we watched as they were murdered in the arena.

I honestly had no idea that she was going to kill herself. I would see her every day, a sad smile ever present on her face. I was her mentor. I was the one who got her out of the arena. I was the one closest to her. I was, supposedly, the one who understood her.

And, yet, I never realized the thoughts that were swirling around her head until I found her sprawled on the ground, a small dribble of nightlock juice trickling down her chin.

Every single tribute I had ever mentored, I had lost to the Hunger Games.

As I knelt in front of Nadia's grave, I looked up at the sky and promised myself that never again would I lose anyone to the Hunger Games.

* * *

**\- Yvette Poole, Victor of the Seventh Annual Hunger Games, District Six Mentor -  
\- March 10, 21 ADD -**

* * *

It should have been a special day for me today. It was my daughter's twelfth birthday today.

Unfortunately, it wasn't such a special day for me. It was also the tenth anniversary of my husband's death.

"Mother?"

I turned to look at my daughter, Leia. She would be eligible for the reaping from now on. With my luck, she'd probably get reaped. Probably killed in the bloodbath, too. The Capitol wasn't going to be so kind to me. They'd already taken my husband. Why not take my daughter too?

"Oh, sorry, Leia. What were you saying?" I asked. "I sort of zoned out."

Leia smiled, her smile so much like his that it hurt just looking at it, though a second later, her face was grim again. "You promise me, Mother, that you would tell me about Father when I turned twelve."

My blood felt cold as it rushed through my veins. I'm sure my face had gone pale, too, because Leia was looking at me with concern in her eyes

"Leia, your father was murdered by the Capitol. And I was the cause of his death, because I refused to comply with the Capitol's wishes for its victors."

* * *

**\- Daniel Foxfire, Victor of the Nineteenth Annual Hunger Games, District Seven Mentor -  
\- March 20, 21 ADD -**

* * *

The Capitol required me to meet with Willow to discuss strategy at least once before the Games. I honestly didn't mind. Willow was pretty hot.

"So, Willow." I began, dropping my hand on the victor's shoulder. The little girl, the tribute I had trained to become a victor, shook my hand away.

"Don't touch me, Daniel." she hissed. "I'm only here because the Capitol requires any mentors from the same District to meet together at least once prior to the Games. When it's time for actual training, I won't be training my tribute with yours. I don't want my tribute tainted by you."

I couldn't help it. I smirked.

"Oh, am I really so bad now, Willow? You seemed not to mind so much last year before the Games." I teased.

"That was before you told me everything! You're sick! You enjoy the Games! You enjoy the killing! You volunteered for the Hunger Games, Daniel!" she retorted.

Before I could say another word, she stood, rushing out of the room. What could I say? Nobody ever understood me. Nobody ever listened to me when I said the Hunger Games weren't so bad.

* * *

**\- Woof Smith, Victor of the Seventeenth Annual Hunger Games, District Eight Mentor -  
\- March 30, 21 ADD -**

* * *

I woke up screaming. It was the same nightmare every night

Her name had been June and she had been my District partner. She had also been my ally. We had decided to stick together and just hide from the other tributes until the final five, which was when we would split. At first, our plan worked pretty well. The one tribute that found us got a knife in her back from June.

And then, the Careers found us, or rather, they found June. She was coming back from hunting. I had been watching the supplies. She was screaming for me to save her as they killed her. I didn't lift a finger to help her.

They looked for me, but they never found me. That was when there were only nine of us left. The Careers soon went away to hunt for more tributes.

I never forgot the faces of the two who had murdered June. I am proud to say that I only killed two tributes in my Games and they were the two Careers who had killed my District partner.

Of course, in my nightmare, there wasn't always such a "happy" ending.

* * *

**\- Wyatt Frepzick, Victor of the Third Annual Hunger Games, District Nine Mentor -  
\- April 9, 21 ADD -**

* * *

They say that the saddest people smile the brightest. I can tell you from experience that that statement is quite true.

Before my Games, my mentor was a man named Darius. I don't remember much about him, but I do remember that he was always smiling. Before I went into the arena, he told me, "Wyatt, I may be from the Capitol, but that doesn't mean I want to see you fail. You've got a chance. If you can go in there and keep that smile on your face, you're going to win this thing."

I remember nodding and Darius patting my shoulder as he whispered, "Go get 'em."

And I remember going in there, that smile on my face as I killed and fought. I remember how I forced the thoughts into my mind that every death brought me closer to home; everything I was doing was because I needed to get out of the arena. I remember coming out of the arena, that sick smile still plastered onto my face as I watched replays of my Games, had interviews, and trained tributes to take my place in the next Games.

And, ever since, I've always had that horribly fake, yet shining, smile on my face.

* * *

**\- Diane Lu, Victor of the Fourth Annual Hunger Games, District Ten Mentor -  
\- April 19, 21 ADD -**

* * *

Mason grabbed the beer bottle, pouring its contents into the two glasses that sat on the table in front of him. As the flow of beer stopped, he looked up at me, a wry smile on his lips. I took one of the glasses, my eyes falling to the liquid inside.

It was a tradition of ours. Every year since Mason had won, three or four months before the Games, we would drink ourselves to drunk messes. I don't even remember why we had started doing that. Perhaps it was to push away the pain that threatened to consume us, as victors, every day. Or maybe it was to push away the sense of hopelessness that came with not being able to save twenty-three innocent lives every year.

Mason raised his glass of beer and I did the same. The two glasses clinked softly against each other as Mason smirked. "May the odds be ever in our favor!" he announced, causing me to roll my eyes. As victors, the odds were never in our favor and Mason knew it.

I downed my glass of beer in a single gulp, placing it back on the table for more.

* * *

**\- Cyprus Kif, Victor of the Fourteenth Annual Hunger Games, District Eleven Mentor -  
\- April 29, 21 ADD -**

* * *

They say that, out of all the victors so far, I am one of the ones that have been affected the least by the Games. In a way, that's true. For me, it hasn't been the rags-to-riches story it's been for most victors. My father is the Mayor, anyways.

People that know me also say that I've never been totally consumed by the Games, like the Careers, or consumed by grief.

They're all wrong.

In my home in the Victor's Village, nearly everything is arranged in fives. Five for the five tributes I killed in my Games. In addition, almost every room has a twinge of purple somewhere. Purple for my District partner, Violette, who I hadn't been able to save.

I had stopped hoping that the Capitol would decide that the Districts had learned their lesson and that the Capitol would end the Games forever. The Capitol would never end the Games.

In a way, I've been affected the most.

* * *

**\- Emmeryn Sweet, Capitol-Provided Mentor, District Twelve Mentor -  
\- May 9, 21 ADD -**

* * *

The previous Capitol-provided mentor for District Twelve had been my aunt, Alicia Sweet. She had warned me about getting too connected to the tributes. When I was younger, I scoffed at her word s. I wouldn't get too connected with these tributes! They were from District Twelve, of all places.

Now, four years later, I realized how I should have known how hard it would be to not get too connected with the tributes. They were from the Districts, yes, but they had feelings and stories, too. It's hard not to pity them.

I've already seen eight tributes die. I still remember their voices and faces, as clear as if it were yesterday that I had just met them.

When I was just a little girl, I remembered how I had loved watching the Games. They were amusing, I had thought. I had never noticed how terrible they really were. Why was it that I had never realized how twenty-three children would never return home to their loved ones each year?

I would do this one more year, I resolved, and then, I would do it no more.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So, I thought that I'd explain how this fanfic will work. Each character will get one POV before the tributes enter the Games. The chapters before the Games will consist of: Reaping Playbacks (three POVs), Getting Prepped (two POVs), Chariot Rides (two POVs; one Capitol POV), Training: Day One (four POVs), Training: Day Two (four POVs), Training: Private Sessions (one POV; one Gamemaker POV), Training Scores (two POVs), Interviews (three POVs; one Capitol POV), Launch (three POVs).

Speaking of characters, I still need more tributes! The tributes I still need are the District One Female, District Three Male, both from District Five, both from District Six, District Nine Male, both from District Ten, and the District Twelve Male. If I don't receive the tributes I still need within the next week, I'll just make the ones I still need and they will be bloodbath tributes.

If you have only made one tribute, this is a reminder that you may make two tributes that will be accepted! If you have already made two tributes, then please, please, please help advertise this fanfic to friends who might be interested! Thanks!


	3. Marked for Death: Reaping Playbacks

**Marked for Death: Reaping Playbacks**

* * *

_Fear doesn't shut you down;  
__It wakes you up._

_~ Veronica Roth, Divergent_

* * *

**\- Amelie Rivers, District Four Female -  
\- July 12, 21 ADD -**

* * *

_"And this year's young lady who shall represent District Four shall be Alessandra Noir!"_

_Around me, the girls of District Four were silent as the crowd parted to let a seventeen-year-old brunette through. I knew Alessandra. The brunette was a fierce fighter in District Four's Training Center. Of course, Alessandra wasn't nearly as fierce as I was. Perhaps after I came home as a victor, she'd be chosen to volunteer next year._

_The crowd remained parted as I walked through. The girls all knew that I was the chosen volunteer this year and none of them would be trying to volunteer._

_"I volunteer as tribute!"_

"Alright. Yorick, Amelie, it won't be much longer before we reach the Capitol, but the Reaping Playbacks are on right now. As you most likely know, you two are required to watch them." our escort, Ovid Dunbryll, announced, giving my District partner, Yorick, our mentors, Mags and Coral, and myself a stern look. Yorick and our mentors scrambled over to the sofa in front of the television and I quickly followed suit.

So far, from what I had seen of him, I already knew that Yorick could be a potential threat to my victory in the Games. He had trained in the Training Center and, after all, he had been chosen as the male volunteer. I was eager to find out who the other tributes were, though, and how many of them could also threaten me.

As the television flickered to life, it was clear that the cameras were currently showing District One. As I stared at the television screen, the escort thrust her arm into the girls' reaping bowl. A moment later, she pulled out a slip, bringing it up to her face to inspect. "Jacqueline Haynes!" the escort called out.

The camera zoomed onto the face of a brunette. She was a Career, clearly. The girl's expression seemed to freeze, but when I narrowed my eyes, her mouth had already curved into a smirk. The cameras followed her as she walked confidently up to the stage.

"Are there any volunteers?" the escort called. I braced myself, waiting to see girls racing for the spot. Shockingly enough, no one wanted to volunteer. The escort must have been surprised as well, because she shrugged and headed over to the boys' reaping bowl.

The reaped boy seemed fairly boring; he must have been at most thirteen or fourteen years old. Immediately, an older boy volunteered, introducing himself as Adonis Vermilion. He looked to be pretty tough, but the pair from District One most likely wouldn't end up being too much of a threat, with the girl not even being a volunteer and the boy looking a bit too laid-back.

As District One's sparkling buildings faded into darkness on the screen, the gray structures of District Two rose to meet them. I took this short break between the reapings to look over at Yorick, wondering what he thought of the District One tributes. I found him staring at the television screen, but he seemed to feel my eyes on him and he quickly turned, fixing my questioning gaze with a cold, hard glare. I gulped. It seemed like I had already made an enemy.

District Two's female tribute, Victoria Peirce, was a volunteer and just as boring as District One's tributes, but the boy seemed more interesting. He volunteered, giving his name as Austin Reverand, but he said that he was starting a new chapter in his story and that from now on, he wished to be known as Astin Revelation. I couldn't help but wonder if he was related to the Victor of the Eighteenth Games, Roxie Reverand. The last names were the same and Roxie had had the same confidence when she had volunteered for her Games.

The cameras continued on towards District Three. The female tribute, Lily Bryant, seemed rather nervous when her name was called, but she was able to keep herself from bursting into tears, which was pretty admirable. A boy in the crowd who seemed a little bit too old to be the girl's boyfriend, but a bit too young to be her father, seemed very upset when her name was called. Perhaps a brother? As for the male tribute, a twelve-year-old was originally reaped, but immediately, an older boy, Thomas Aubert, volunteered for the spot. That was pretty strange, since District Three was no Career District and it rarely produced any volunteers. This Thomas couldn't possibly be too much of a threat, though.

District Four's reapings followed District Three's. I volunteered for Alessandra, of course, but disappointingly enough, I didn't seem to be any different from the other volunteers in Career Districts. No matter. I knew I would be able to find a way and shine in the chariot rides and interviews. Yorick seemed rather cold during the reapings, just as he had been ever since, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing; he didn't outshine me in any way.

I would just have to stand out in the chariot rides and interviews if I wanted sponsors...

* * *

**\- Sable Tuwyla, District Eight Female -  
\- July 12, 21 ADD -**

* * *

"And the young lady who will be representing the glorious District Five in the Hunger Games this year will be Angelina Northington! Let's give her a round of applause!" the bubbly Escort of District Five announced as the cameras zoomed in on a young girl who seemed to be struggling not to cry. I sighed. She wouldn't get far in the Games if she didn't tough up soon. Persei, our Escort, rolled his eyes at the television screen from where he sat. He seemed to have a pretty bad opinion of poor Angelina as well.

"And the young man representing District Five this year will be Kyle Denyick!" the Escort continued. Unlike the hushed silence that had followed Angelina's name, a high-pitched scream, followed this announcement. The cameras focused in on the girl who had screamed, a beautiful blonde whose hand was currently pressed to her mouth in shock. Quickly, the cameras moved away again as something of more interest arose.

"No, not Kyle! I volunteer as tribute!"

The cameras focused in on a boy with dirty-blond hair who was running out of the sixteen-year-old section. "I volunteer as tribute!" he called again, his voice growing more desperate.

"He must know that Kyle rather well to volunteer and risk everything..." Paisley, my District partner, mumbled as the boy onscreen introduced himself as Luther Martinos. As we continued watching, the images onscreen split into three sections, showing what was being recorded from three different cameras. One camera showed Kyle, the boy who had been reaped, his body shaking as he stared in shock at Luther. Another showed the girl who had screamed, her hand still pressed to her mouth, a steady stream of tears flowing down her cheeks. The last showed Luther and Angelina onstage. Both tributes looked unfazed by all of the drama, particularly Luther, who kept a cold, blunt expression on his face. The screen faded into darkness as the two tributes shook hands. I knew what had just unfolded would probably gain Luther a few sponsors.

Next came District Six. Compared to District Five, this was much more uneventful. The female tribute was a blonde twelve-year-old named Camille-Cosette Englishrose. She looked shy and timid, though there was a peculiar dangerous gleam of intelligence in her eyes. The male tribute was a boy named Holden Norden. He walked up to the stage, hands shoved in his pockets and staring at the ground.

District Seven was slightly less normal. The female tribute, Aveline Foxfire, was another volunteer, much like Luther Martinos of District Five, but she didn't volunteer for a loved one, or so it seemed. It looked as if she had volunteered just for the sake of volunteering, almost like the Careers. She reminded me of the victor from two years ago, Daniel Foxfire. They even seemed to be related. I disliked her immediately. Compared to Aveline, the male tribute, Arsten Flenitch, was just another reaped boy, though he didn't seem too scared. Perhaps he could make a good ally?

Then came us. I was proud to see that, when my name was called, I didn't look nearly as fearful of the Games as I had felt. Paisley looked much more nervous when his name was called, turning pale and shaking slightly, though he seemed alright too. "Hey, we look pretty tough..." Paisley muttered with a nervous laugh as he stared at the screen. I gave him a smile and was about to reply with a comment of my own, but the voice of Woof, our mentor who had been silent until now, began to speak first.

"That's right. You two just might stand a chance in this year's Games. Perhaps District Eight will be having a Victor this year..." he murmured. Paisley and I exchanged glances before he shrugged and looked away.

* * *

**\- Ash Dunland, District Eleven Male -  
****\- July 12, 21 ADD -**

* * *

District Nine's reapings were stranger than usual. "Our female tribute shall be Jasmine Everhart!" the Escort called.

The girl screamed when her name was called, refusing to go onto the stage and claiming that her name being called was a mistake. Where did she get that from? Of course it wasn't a mistake. The Capitol never made mistakes. I faintly remembered another Everhart being reaped a while ago, so perhaps that was what she was referencing. Nevertheless, Peacekeepers quickly dragged her up onto the stage and the District Nine Escort, Magnus Yule, continued with the reaping as if the whole fiasco with Jasmine had never happened.

"And our male tribute shall be Armani Miller!"

The boy wasn't much better at hiding his emotions, but at least he didn't scream as well. He was younger than the girl, maybe twelve or thirteen. As soon as the kid's name was called, he burst into tears. Onstage, he quickly managed to calm himself, though, seeming to remember that he needed to do whatever he could to gain sponsors. I pitied both of the kids, though I knew that if I made an alliance with either one, they would most likely just slow me down.

District Nine's amber waves of grain disappeared as the District Ten reapings began on the television. District Ten's girl actually surprised me quite a bit. When the girl from Ten, Adelaide King, was called, the mayor stood, screaming something about how it was a mistake. The crowd immediately erupted into conversation as Adelaide burst into tears and Peacekeepers rushed over to drag her to the stage. Only after Adelaide had made it onstage did everyone calm down and I was able to realize that Adelaide was the daughter of District Ten's Mayor King. Immediately, she became a potential ally. With his reaction to her reaping, he would probably do anything to get her out of the arena. With the money he had, there would be plenty of sponsor gifts... and Adelaide's allies would benefit as well.

After Adelaide, Ten's boy, Hudson Ridgewood didn't seem particularly memorable to me, but he had that aura of sturdy reliability which _almost_ made me want to trust him... but in the Hunger Games, you really could trust no one.

District Eleven, my District, was next. The girl was a thirteen-year-old named Sienna Lauderdale, the girl who was currently sitting beside me. When she was reaped, there had been some sort of commotion in the crowd, but I hadn't quite seen in the actual reaping and now, in the playbacks, the cameras didn't quite focus in. I assumed it was probably just Sienna's family members being upset about her reaping. Beside me, Sienna bit her lip as she watched her reaping. I knew she was thinking about her brother, Ryan Lauderdale, who had been reaped two years ago and had died in the Games... probably thinking she would share the same fate. My heart went out to her and I tried to give her a comforting smile.

I saw James get reaped and the anger and pain rose in my chest again, like it had at the actual reaping. On the television screen, I charged, pushing the other seventeen-year-old boys behind me as I rushed out, screaming, "I volunteer as tribute!" The cameras zoomed in on James's face, showing shock and horror. I hadn't seen that on his face earlier today. I pushed James behind me, back towards the boys' section, and walked up to the stage, declaring my name loudly. I could tell the people of my District had been shocked by my volunteering, since there was nothing but utter silence throughout the District as I stood on the stage.

Last was District Twelve. District Twelve's tributes were both fairly plain, typical Twelve tributes. The girl, Kristen Schneider, had a somewhat faraway expression on her face, even after she had been reaped. She looked timid and small, much like the boy, Hunter Nelson. Unless they could make their interviews, chariot rides, or training scores memorable, they probably wouldn't get too many sponsors or allies. District Twelve never stood out at all.

Well, all I could say was that these Games would be interesting.

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**A M4D TE4-P4RTY: **Ah, thank you for all the encouragement and I'm really glad you're enjoying the story so far! As for shark mutts, alright. I have another idea that I could use, so it's all good.

**Blue Eyes Arch Angel: **Thank you so much! I'm really glad you're liking the story so far!

**DaughterofApollo7: **I'm glad you like the blog!

**Dead Language: **Yes, Daniel and Aveline are related... and I love Wyatt's character as well. Falseness in character personalities has always been one of my personal favorites, though I find that it is somewhat hard to write for characters with those types of personalities sometimes.

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**Author's Note: **So the blog for this is finally up, as some of you may have seen! The link should be on my profile. Also, I'm sorry this chapter took forever and that it's not the best quality. Life got pretty busy, but at least it's up now! Also, sorry if your character didn't seem to shine particularly in this chapter; I tried to make the character's personalities seem as real as possible and I don't think that the characters would really feel that every single tribute stood out to them. I'll try to get my next chapter up within the next week, but no promises!

**Questions of the Chapter: **Which character's portion from this chapter do you like the best? Which character do you like the best, just from looking at the blog? Let me know in the reviews!


	4. Author's Note

First off, I'm apologizing for the lack of updates recently. A mixture of school and extracurriculars have made my life extremely hectic for the past few months. Fortunately, school has ended, but my summer will still be incredibly busy. Despite that, I will not be deleting or discontinuing this fanfiction. I will definitely finish it, so please stay tuned! Thank you guys all so much for your patience! I will be deleting this notice as soon as I get my next chapter up!

\- Princess Emiii


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